Campbell Trophy® Semifinalist Announcement
IRVING, Texas – Slippery Rock University senior football captain
Michael Henwood was announced Wednesday as one of 15 NCAA Division II players and 177 total collegiate football players to be named national semifinalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® presented by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.
Henwood, a senior safety from Hermitage, Pennsylvania, is only of just five total players on the national semifinalist list to own a perfect 4.0 GPA and he is one of just 13 total players on the semifinalist list to earn Academic All-America honors.
"This year's 177 semifinalists represent the very best of what it means to play college football," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. "They have excelled in the classroom, distinguished themselves on the field, and proven to be leaders in their communities. The Campbell Trophy® stands as a reminder that football develops complete individuals, and these young men embody that tradition at the highest level."
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility in the 2025 season or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree and is participating in the 2025 season; have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor; and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, NFF College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
Henwood earned his spot as a semifinalist this year after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA after 126 credit hours while majoring in exercise science at SRU. A two-time Academic All-District honoree, Henwood picked up his first career Academic All-America honor last year following his junior season at The Rock, where he led the team in solo tackles and ranked second overall on the team with 72 total tackles. He also led SRU with three interceptions while helping the program to the national semifinals and a No. 3 final ranking.
Voted as a team captain by his teammates entering this fall, Henwood has helped No. 4 Slippery Rock out to a 3-0 start this year with 18 total tackles, including 12 solo stops.
In addition to his accolades on the field and in the classroom, Henwood is also a valued member of the local community. He volunteers annually with the Read Across America program to go into local elementary schools to read to students on Dr. Seuss Day. He is also involved with the community meals program in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he assists the program delivering meals to community members that need assistance. Henwood is also a member of the student-athlete advisory committee at The Rock.
"Michael is a terrific example of what hard work and dedication can lead to," said SRU head coach
Shawn Lutz. "He came to us as a decorated high school QB from a small school and committed to our plan to have him play defensive back. He worked his tail off on special teams for two years and took advantage of every snap to earn a starting job. Now he is a team captain and leader of our program. His work in the classroom matches his work ethic on the field, where he has a perfect 4.0 GPA. He is a role model for the rest of our players and is the perfect example of what believing in yourself and working hard can lead to. He matches the standards set by a great legacy of our former Campbell Trophy nominees, so we are thrilled to be able to nominate him this year."
The NFF will announce 12-16 national finalists Oct. 22 and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas Dec. 9, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 36th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Slippery Rock has had three national finalists for the Campbell Trophy® since 2017 with Marcus Martin (2017), Henry Litwin (2021) and
Brayden Long (2024) each being recognized as finalists for the "Academic Heisman." The Rock are the only program from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to ever have a national finalist and rank second all-time in Division II, trailing only the four finalists from Colorado School of Mines.
Henwood is one of two semifinalists from the PSAC and just three semifinalists from Super Region One. He is joined by Rafiqe Hilliard from California (Pa.) and Mike Boutros from Bentley as the three semifinalists from Super Region One.
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